There are 43 comments on the
The Indianapolis Star
story from Feb 22, 2008, titled Simon asked for tougher security in Florida.
In it, The Indianapolis Star reports that:

Since someone murdered a mother and daughter and left their bodies outside a Boca Raton, Fla., mall, Coral Springs Police Chief Duncan Foster repeatedly tried to talk to the owners of Coral Square Mall about ...

I've seen in some cities [Hoover Alabama] where the city madean arrangement with the local government to have a satellite Police Station on the Property.... the Mangement of the property in question should looks at that arrangement

Seems odd that the police chief is seeking business opportunities for his off-duty officers. It's also odd that the chief's letter to Simon just happened to make it to the media. Sounds like Chief Foster is shaking the Simon Corp. down.

"Greenfield Mom"I held a part time job at Washington Square Mall for the holiday seasons of '03,'04, and '05. The Security guards .....well they ahd a few good eggs but mostly those guys don't care. They brought us a copy of the lease agreement stating that Security is for COMMON MALL AREAS ONLY, to preserve the safety of the mall NOT the individual stores. If we had a shoplifter our corporate police was that they had to "leave the store with the observed stolen items" before it was technically theft, therefore illegal. But mall security said it's not their problem once someone steps into the mall itself, what happened in the store isn't their problem. And we, as store employees, were NOT ALLOWED to APPREHEND the person who just ripped us off. What????I just wanted to say that if the employee told you that they are parially correct. No, they cannot make an apprehention because they didn't witness the theft, but what they can and are allowed to do is follow that person, get a discription of person/vehicle and notify police, etc. The main reason they can't do an apprehention is because of liability and laws. If they were to stop someone and they had "dropped the merchandise" they would be sued. Stores are responsible for their own security. the mall provides security for them, but they can only assist stores on a limited basis because of yes policy but mainly laws.

I would like to say John Petruzzi sure pulled one over on SIMON. The company is wanting the malls to cut budget yet raising price of rent, but then spend over $10,000+ at most malls to add a barcode/handheld devise system that half the time does not work...How Petruzzi got SIMON to pony up for a system that doesn't work half the time is besides me..yet another wasted money idea. Petruzzi needs to lose that little office desk job he somehow pulled from SIMON.Also, the police down in floria should take it upon themselves to take a more active role in that area. I also do feel sorry for the Guards that work at each mall. Some don't care, but many do care about the safety and well being of tenants and customers but their hands are tied by SIMON policy in which IPC is contracted to adhere to. Many do wish they could assist tenants more when it comes to shoplifters, etc. but if they do to much or go to far, they could and most likely would be suspended or terminated...such a shame!

Miami International Mall in Miami, FL is a Simon Mall. Their security is a joke. The guards work for this company called IPC International which is contracted by Simon for their security. The guards can't even speak English properly they have an IQ of 10 and this is the smartest guard.

There are no security cameras at Miami International Mall so if something happens to you, it is not documented.

A few months ago a woman was raped there and no security responded.

Suspicious persons hang out in the mall parking and security passes by them without even looking at them. If you are a car thieve, a rapist or a purse snatcher Miami International Mall is the mall for you.

Simon brought this palm pilots for all security to use. They placed check points all over the mall and the guards have to scan these points with their palm pilots. I believe that this checkpoints take away from their ability to observe and report incidents.

Other problems at Miami International Mall is that the tenants are not the most honest people in the world. For example Digital World sells crap and when you come to return the crap they sold you they refuse to give your money back or exchange the merchandise. They even go as far as call you a thieve and treat you like crap.

I would like to say John Petruzzi sure pulled one over on SIMON. The company is wanting the malls to cut budget yet raising price of rent, but then spend over $10,000+ at most malls to add a barcode/handheld devise system that half the time does not work...How Petruzzi got SIMON to pony up for a system that doesn't work half the time is besides me..yet another wasted money idea. Petruzzi needs to lose that little office desk job he somehow pulled from SIMON.Also, the police down in floria should take it upon themselves to take a more active role in that area. I also do feel sorry for the Guards that work at each mall. Some don't care, but many do care about the safety and well being of tenants and customers but their hands are tied by SIMON policy in which IPC is contracted to adhere to. Many do wish they could assist tenants more when it comes to shoplifters, etc. but if they do to much or go to far, they could and most likely would be suspended or terminated...such a shame!

The hand held devise is called a D3. The D3 is used to scan checkpoints throughout the mall. This takes away the freedom the guards had to walk around, observe and report incidents.

And the reason why some of the guards don't care is... Who the hell wants to work for $9.00 per hour? I surely would not give a rat if someone pays me $9.00 per hour. I wouldn't care less if anyone shoplifts.

I agree the devices are a distraction to doing the job and it is a joke that they can't assist the stores, but good news is coming I heard there were talks of Ipc losing the contract for Simon malls! And another company will be taking over! Hopefully with some kind of balls and not such a pushover as Ipc! We shall see!

Even if IPC loses their contracts nothing will change. The contractors will do what Simon wants them to do and not do what Simon does not want them to do. If Simon wanted security officers to walk around as fully equipped SWAT, than security officers would walk around dressed, equipped, licensed, and trained as SWAT no matter who the contractor was that provided the officers...

I work at a Jones Lang Lasal owned mall " Mall at Whitney Field" In MA where IPC is contracted. And i can honestly say everyone that works there takes there jobs seriously, we do are job and do it well. Most of the people i work with are Ex Military, including myself. Ex police fire personal ect. And to adress the point of not being able to do anything with shoplifters and being armed ect ect. Its not the security company ex IPC its the malls policy. When the mall use to be Sears Town Mall, google it. The guards were authorized to carry cuffs, pepper spray and even batons. But as soon as JonesLangLassal took over and contracted IPC that ended. Im told by one of my Sups the reason we cant carry weapons or even cuffs is that the mall owners want security to be more " Customer Orrientated" for customer service and such. I mean honestly if the malls policy was different and stated we could carry batons ect we would. I know some IPC contracted guards not at malls do carry batons ect. Its all about the policy of the properties owner. I guess i can see where there coming from but i mean come on what do we do when someone comes in drunk and starts beating on people " the only time we can actaully detain someone". As far as shoplifting goes. We have the stores in the mall call the office and we come down and " Assist" in the confrontation of the stores LP and the thief to make sure it doesnt get out of hand and then we issue a mall tresspass notice for usually a year. But there have been times were the thief will run and im sorry but im not sitting there and doing nothing, we've tackled people and detained them. But when it comes down to writting the reports just leave it out ahaha! And i belive now Simon contracts with AlliedBarton.

I finally feel as if I can speak the truth about IPC International and the Simon Property Group. I am glad that Simon booted IPC from most of the contracts. They were replaced with Allied Barton, Cheslea Brown, and Valor, depending on region. I will be the first to say that the client (Simon) is totally inept in the processes of protection and public safety. The security companies are also to blame, as they do nothing to stand up to the client and tell them they are inept.

I was a mid-level supervisor for IPC at several properties from 2003 until 2008. I was fired for starting my own company to make side-money, after my action was approved by corporate.

Here is what the glaring problems are:1 - Simon heavily monitors and restricts what the officers and the department do. They do not feel the need to provide adequate protection, because it increases liability. The poster that said it was a "dog and pony show" is very correct in this aspect. I was always told that safety wasn't as important as the perception of safety."Perception is limited in depth, and therefore limited in truth".

2 - Simon indeed caters to the urban gangbanger crowd in over half of it's properties. Simon malls are the worst, most crime-ridden garbage-holes in any major metro, more so than any Taubman, General Growth, Forest City, Faison, or Macerich mall. Make no mistake, the officers are EXPECTED to make detentions (with handcuffs, no more, no less) for assault & battery, drug dealing, etc. There is no armed backup to be seen.

3 - Simon malls generally do not have off-duty police or satellite police stations because they are not welcome. Simon's image policy states that if shoppers see the police or a police station in-mall, that it creates the "perception" that the mall is dangerous. Hey, there's an epiphany! Simon, your malls REALLY ARE dangerous!

4 - The D3 is a total electronic racket, and everyone knows it. One scan every 8-10 minutes or you get wrote up or fired. The D3 is nothing new though. Before that, it was the Symbol PALM, before that, it was the WAND2, before that, it was the TOCO reader. Pure garbage, if you ask me.

5 - The mobile patrol officers, whether on bike or by truck, are not passing up tire changes and ice scrapings because they are assholes. They are passing you up because corporate policy says that they are not permitted to help because of liability.

6 - The pay scales are abominable. IPC charged Simon roughly $24 per hour, per officer. Officer base pay was around $8/hr starting. This means that $2 went to pay taxes, and IPC was pocketing $14 per hour. I was the highest ranked non-director supervisor at my properties, with 5 years tenure, and I only got $12.50/hr.

7 - Once again, the provider won't do what good companies do. They obey the client, no matter how stupid and useless the order. They won't tell the client "look, if you needed to contract us to protect you, you obviously have no idea how to protect yourself. Get out of the way and let us do the job". The only words they know are "yes sir, please pay your invoice".

Hope this helps to turn a little more light onto the problem. I once had some upper-management corporate whipping boy complain to me that "security is a whore's industry, we do what they want or we don't get paid". My only reply was "that is because spineless know-nothings like you are in all of the key management positions.".

Why arent these guys and gals armed? You see them wearing a look alike cop uniform but they carry no guns. Whats the point? I have a friend of mine that works in a state hospital here in Indiana and they also will not allow the outside officers to carry any weapons, not even mace! I can understand not having these items inside a correctional facility or mental hospital but what is the point of having folks dress up like cops and not give them any way of protecting themselves of the people they are supposed to serve. Welcome comments on this one.

- most securities working for the mall business are people holding a Security license D, only unarmed security. this is a safe way for a security working inside malls, where you will be with juveniles, kids in a "friendly environment" if you want them to carry a weapon they must have a G license and therefore the environment will be other than a mall. G license securities work for banks, carrying out money or private business with frequented hostility. there is no reason to have a security officer carrying a weapong in a low level and "friendly" environment such as a mall..( even though malls are getting violent and full of problems)

Why arent these guys and gals armed? You see them wearing a look alike cop uniform but they carry no guns. Whats the point? I have a friend of mine that works in a state hospital here in Indiana and they also will not allow the outside officers to carry any weapons, not even mace! I can understand not having these items inside a correctional facility or mental hospital but what is the point of having folks dress up like cops and not give them any way of protecting themselves of the people they are supposed to serve. Welcome comments on this one.

As a "Mall Cop" in the midwest, the training for mall security officers is nowhere near enough to warrent firearms. I often wish I was armed, until I look at my coworkers. That plus the statement about the mall itself, "If their mall security must be armed, that mall must be dangerous."

Finally, mall security exists as a deterrent to casual criminals, surveillance on the mall, and a speed dial to the local police. We're not there to protect people other than that. The cost to train someone to do that would be to the point where malls just wouldn't have security.

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